Springer Nature publishes the world's three most-cited journals
For the second year in a row Springer Nature published the three most cited journals globally – Nature Communications, Scientific Reports and Nature each reaching over 1 million citations.
London | Berlin | New York, 03 July 2026
Nature Communications has become the world’s most highly cited journal, with more than 1.1 million citations in 2025 – a 28% increase on the previous year. Independent data, released in Clarivate’s journal citation report, highlights the continued value Springer Nature journals provide researchers, expanding reach and impact, with their work being some of the most cited and widely used research globally.
- Scientific Reports and Nature also exceeded one million citations, with growth of 27% and 9% respectively on the previous year.
- 18.6 million citations in total for content published across Springer Nature’s journal portfolio, up from 16 million in 2024.
- Research published in the Discover journals was cited nearly 25,000 times.
The presence of both Nature Communications and Scientific Reports among the most cited journals highlights the sustained impact of open access (OA) publishing in extending the reach of research. By making findings immediately available, OA supports broader discovery and use, helping authors ensure their work reaches the communities that can apply and build on it. Clarivate’s JCR data also shows that over 60% of Springer Nature journals recorded an increase in their Impact Factor and 44 journals received their first impact factors.
Harsh Jegadeesan, Chief Publishing Officer at Springer Nature, said:
“We’re proud that researchers continue to choose our journals to share their work, and to see that work being read, trusted and built upon at scale. With more than 5 billion downloads last year and growing citation outcomes, authors publishing with us continue to benefit from global reach and visibility supporting both scientific progress and their own careers.”
“That impact is underpinned by rigorous peer review, high editorial standards and continued investment in our platforms. With around 3 million submissions each year, acceptance rates of 16–17%, and 87% of authors rating their experience positively, we are focused on delivering real value for researchers — ensuring their work that is widely used and able to drive meaningful outcomes.”
More on the impact and role of Springer Nature’s journal portfolio can be found in its latest annual report.
All data contained in this release is from Journal Citation Reports (JCR) 2026.
As a signatory of DORA, Springer Nature is committed to advancing approaches to research assessment globally across all scholarly disciplines, supporting transparency and responsible practices in publishing and authorship, and supporting a sustainable approach to research assessment to enable informed publishing choices. Springer Nature recognises that multiple factors must be considered when assessing independent data.
Springer Nature is one of the leading publishers of research in the world. We publish the largest number of journals and books and are a pioneer in open research. Through our leading brands, trusted for more than 180 years, we provide technology-enabled products, platforms and services that help researchers to uncover new ideas and share their discoveries, health professionals to stay at the forefront of medical science, and educators to advance learning. We are proud to be part of progress, working together with the communities we serve to share knowledge and bring greater understanding to the world. For more information, please visit about.springernature.com and follow Springer Nature.
Sarah McClenaghan | External Communications | Springer Nature
